The present invention relates generally to telephonic communications and pertains, more specifically, to a wireless telephone constructed in a compact modular arrangement.
The increasing popularity of wireless telephones, prompted by the widespread availability of cellular wireless telephone services, has led to a demand for more convenience and greater availability in wireless telephones and more economical wireless telephone use. The present invention places wireless telephone services within the easy reach of a greater population, thereby facilitating telephonic communication among increased numbers of people, in business and commercial fields as well as in domestic and personal uses.
The construction of highly compact and economical wireless telephones is described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,875,393 and 5,965,848, granted to Altschul et al., the substance of which patents is incorporated herein by reference thereto. The present invention provides wireless telephones which are even more compact, and which are constructed for added versatility, convenience and safety in use, as well as for increased economy of manufacture. As such, the present invention provides several objects and advantages, some of which are summarized as follows: Provides a modular arrangement which allows the use of relatively less expensive modules in a wireless telephone suitable for more widespread use and acceptance; enables greater convenience in carrying about and using wireless telephones; reduces potential hazards associated with electromagnetic radiation emanating from wireless telephones; allows greater effectiveness in capturing wireless telephonic reception; provides greater versatility in the design and function of wireless telephones; enables the economical manufacture and distribution of relatively low-cost, reliable wireless telephones, thereby opening up new and larger markets for wireless telephones.
The above objects and advantages, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention which may be described briefly as a compact modular wireless telephone comprising: a telephonic module consisting essentially of a body member having compact boundaries including a limited length, a limited width and a limited thickness, wireless telephonic operation circuitry within the body member for effecting the transmission and reception of wireless telephonic communications, selector apparatus integral with the body member for selective operation of the wireless telephonic operation circuitry, and body member electrical connector elements integral with the body member and electrically connected to the wireless telephonic operation circuitry; and a remote modular arrangement including an earphone, a power source, remote electrical connector elements complementary to the body member electrical connector elements, and elongate electrical conductors electrically connecting the earphone and the power source to the remote electrical connector elements, such that upon connection of the remote electrical connector elements to the body member electrical connector elements, the modular wireless telephone is enabled for wireless telephonic communications, with the earphone and the power source located remote from the telephonic module. In alternative constructions, the power source may be included in the telephonic module rather than in the remote arrangement, and a microphone may be placed either in the remote arrangement or in the body member of the telephonic module. Additionally, a loop antenna may be incorporated into the body member of the telephonic member, as a part of the wireless telephonic operating circuitry, for optimizing the reception of wireless telephonic signals.